Prep Material/General Questions Forum

Flacco4815 · Post by **Flacco4815** » Sat May 24, 2014 11:47 pm

Hi everyone so I just finished up my freshman year of college and had a few questions about the LSAT prep materials and general timeline.

Thanks to TLS, I've really seen the importance of only taking the LSAT when ready and in getting work experience. I'm probably going to graduate in 3 years BUT will probably work for 1-2 years minimum before applying. My hope is to take the LSAT at the end of next year if I'm ready and PTing where I want but if not wait until my last year of college, and if still not where I need to be, take it sometime when I'm working though I'd much rather just have it saved and not have to worry for a few years. I've also read through most of the guides on here so I feel as if I have a pretty good idea but just want some clarification on a few things.

-The number one reason I'm asking this so early before I test is the price of all the test materials. I'm not poor but also can't see me/ my parents being able to just drop 200-300 dollars on LSAT material which seems to be about what I would be looking at, though correct me if I'm wrong. Ideally, I'd like to ask for some of it as birthday/Christmas gifts to try and spread out the costs. It seems the general consensus for material is:The Powerscore bibles, and the various "10 actual official LSAT preptests" My first question is, would it be worth it to buy these used and save money ? and second how many of the "10 actual official LSAT Preptests" should I buy? all of them?

-Finally, the timetable I seem to see for successful prep is 3-6 months and about 2 hours a day for studying is that a good estimate for when it comes? For what its worth, I got a 156 on a cold diagnostic test and want a 170+ so I know studying is needed

Thanks alot guys this website is awesome and always helpful!

malleus discentium · Post by **malleus discentium** » Sun May 25, 2014 1:22 pm

Don't take the LSAT until you've graduated, and don't worry about law school at all for the next two years. If you're studying properly, it will probably affect your UGPA and that is a bad life decision. And you should be spending your summers getting WE and having fun.

$300 is a lot of money but you can't really let that dictate your study plans. If it's really going to be an issue, you're better off saving up for it rather than asking for actual materials as gifts. As for those materials, Manhattan/PowerScore/Trainer are all solid options. I can only speak to the LGB, since that's the only one I used, and it was good. Of the three, though, PS is probably least well regarded on TLS right now (though still a perfect option). As for PT and drilling materials themselves, use the Cambridge bundles. Having them as pdfs is going to very useful and it's easier to get them from Cambridge than LSAC. If I were going to study for the LSAT again I would use this bundle. I wouldn't buy anything used.

3-6 months is standard, yes, but it's closer to 3-5 hours than 2-4. I would shoot for 20 hours a week and calibrate as you see how you are improving or not. You have a solid diagnostic and 170+ is def attainable.

jkhalfa · Post by **jkhalfa** » Sun May 25, 2014 1:40 pm

1. LSAT scores are only good for I think 5 years (you might want to look that up and confirm it), so you risk your score expiring if you take it too early. Probably won't be an issue but I'd keep that in mind.

2. There isn't really any advantage in taking it early. In fact, your base reading and reasoning ability will probably improve slightly with every year of college.

3. Prep materials aren't really that expensive as long as you forgo a class. The most expensive things are the PTs (it's better to get newer ones if you can't get them all), and while of course you'd never do this because you're an aspiring lawyer and hold the law in awful reverence, you can get all those free online from pirate sites.

4. If you're worried about your parents buying this stuff, go get a job somewhere. Work in retail or wherever; it doesn't matter as long as you're earning your own cash. It builds character and you won't have to beg the 'rents for handouts. I'm constantly astonished by the number of college kids who've never had jobs before.

Flacco4815 · Post by **Flacco4815** » Sun May 25, 2014 3:53 pm

Thanks for the replies and for the link to that bundle! I have multiple jobs already and am helping to pay for school already (so I can avoid undegrad loans) But yeah, I still probably won't take it for at least another year, but probably longer. Thanks again!

Flacco4815 · Post by **Flacco4815** » Sun May 25, 2014 3:56 pm

malleus discentium wrote: use this bundle. I wouldn't buy anything used.

quick question on this because I'm a little confused do they come in packets broken down by section (as in one book is all logic games) or is it just a bunch of practice tests?

malleus discentium · Post by **malleus discentium** » Sun May 25, 2014 4:17 pm

Flacco4815 wrote:
malleus discentium wrote: use this bundle. I wouldn't buy anything used.

quick question on this because I'm a little confused do they come in packets broken down by section (as in one book is all logic games) or is it just a bunch of practice tests?

1-38 are split up by section and then by type. So, for example, all necessary assumption LR questions from those PTs are one packet.

Para to Esq · Post by **Para to Esq** » Sun May 25, 2014 5:46 pm

jkhalfa wrote:1. LSAT scores are only good for I think 5 years (you might want to look that up and confirm it), so you risk your score expiring if you take it too early. Probably won't be an issue but I'd keep that in mind.

I just went through this.

LSAT scores expire in the month of June that is, or that follows, the five year anniversary of the test date. So, a test taken in October 2009 will "expire" in June 2015. Note, however, that schools are not required to accept the score if it will "expire" prior to the date of matriculation. Even though my score will not "expire" until June 2015, there are some schools that will require me to retake the LSAT to be considered for admission in Fall 2015.

chicharon · Post by **chicharon** » Sun May 25, 2014 6:24 pm

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Flacco4815 · Post by **Flacco4815** » Mon May 26, 2014 10:29 am

chicharon wrote: Then get the last 15 to 20 prep tests in PDF form, and the Cambridge LSAT bundles for drilling. Oh I really wish someone had told me this before I bought my prep stuff. Haha.

Thanks! When you say to get the Last prep tests in PDF are you referring to the ones from LSAC?

chicharon · Post by **chicharon** » Tue May 27, 2014 12:33 am

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manu6926 · Post by **manu6926** » Tue May 27, 2014 12:42 am

malleus discentium · Post by **malleus discentium** » Tue May 27, 2014 1:29 am

chicharon wrote:Whoops correction. Cheapest way to get PTs is in book form. PDFs are expensive. Or you could do a combination, some PDFs and some books, which is what I'm doing.

Get everything in pdf form. Not having to erase logic games is worth the extra cost.

Nonconsecutive · Post by **Nonconsecutive** » Tue May 27, 2014 2:51 am

malleus discentium wrote:
chicharon wrote:Whoops correction. Cheapest way to get PTs is in book form. PDFs are expensive. Or you could do a combination, some PDFs and some books, which is what I'm doing.
Get everything in pdf form. Not having to erase logic games is worth the extra cost.

I used books, then just did my work on a separate sheet of blank paper. However, that adds a layer of dissimilarity from the actual test that some might not be comfortable with.

jkhalfa · Post by **jkhalfa** » Tue May 27, 2014 3:04 am

malleus discentium wrote:
chicharon wrote:Whoops correction. Cheapest way to get PTs is in book form. PDFs are expensive. Or you could do a combination, some PDFs and some books, which is what I'm doing.
Get everything in pdf form. Not having to erase logic games is worth the extra cost.

This. Buying PTs in book form is inexcusable. (I definitely recommend printed and bound versions of other prep materials though.)

chicharon · Post by **chicharon** » Tue May 27, 2014 10:07 am

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Nonconsecutive · Post by **Nonconsecutive** » Tue May 27, 2014 1:26 pm

chicharon wrote:
jkhalfa wrote:
This. Buying PTs in book form is inexcusable. (I definitely recommend printed and bound versions of other prep materials though.)
It depends. If the question is one of cost, book PTs are still cheaper. Yes it's a lot more work and yes you have to erase things / photocopy things if you like writing on your PTs as you go, but speaking as someone who has very little money in the bank, $80 makes a big difference.

Bottom line is you gotta get what works for both you AND your budget.

Yeah, I wouldn't call it inexcusable either. As I mentioned I used books then took the paper from the office that was going to be recycled and used the backs of it for LGs, etc [Recycling it afterwards]. Saved me a ton of money in the long run since I never actually had to print anything. I don't think there is any "wrong" answer here, like chicharon said budget can be a very real factor.

HorseThief · Post by **HorseThief** » Wed May 28, 2014 12:14 am

As with most other folks here, I don't think you should worry too much about studying for the LSAT now. If you really want to do something, though, think about taking a course that deals with logic. I found my knowledge of set theory to be extremely helpful on all sections of the test, especially the LGs.